


Starlight

by Swallow (Wanderingfox)



Series: Reign of stars [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Dubious Morality, M/M, Mentions of Slavery, Mild Blood, Mild Sexual Content, Minor Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-30
Updated: 2018-04-30
Packaged: 2019-04-30 05:26:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 20,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14489772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wanderingfox/pseuds/Swallow
Summary: There's a lot of tension between the galra and the alteans, both are two powerful races who are conquering the universe planet by planet. When their leaders have gathered on the galra main fleet to negotiate, Prince Lotor decides to take his cousin Prince Keith to one of the fleet's most luxurious brothels to unwind. He takes him to Starlight.





	Starlight

**Author's Note:**

> My first Klance fic! It was suppose to be a cute little one shot but it had other ideas as you may be able to tell from the word count.. xD
> 
> I have no idea if this turned out alright but I hope it is as entertaining to read as it was to write! It might have some grammatical mistakes, I never wrote something so lengthy before and it was definitely a challenge to keep everything consistent. Anyway, I hope you enjoy.

It was a day of stressful political encounters and forced politeness in the main ship of Zarkon's fleet. Prince Keith was only there to observe negotiations with the alteans and learn, yet even he felt tired listening to the back and forths between his uncle Zarkon and the altean king Alfor. The two leaders used to be friends, apparently Alfor even introduced Zarkon to his altean wife Honerva, however the years and the growing tension between their races had changed their relationship.

The tension had escalated of late. In the last few months there had been violent clashes between altean and galra warships, though those fights were mostly isolated cases caused by prideful generals and never yielding altean lords they still had to take measures for the situation not to slip into war. It would be a war of such scale the universe had never heard off. Both races were too strong, too numerous, they would destroy each other.

Thus they had gathered in the large conference chamber of the galran emperor's ship. The room was a colossal square with minimum decorations, only rows of pale purple tapestries embroidered silver with the galra's royal seals and one magnificent chandelier hang in the middle of the chamber bouncing light from thousands of crystals, illuminating the room with grace. It was the same size as the large table it hang above. Said table was made from matt, dark purple metal, the leaders and the more profound figures were seated at it on cold metal chairs. Keith found it slightly amusing whenever he saw the altean lords shiver after they sat down. He himself stood in the crowd around the table with the lesser nobles and generals from both sides, though you wouldn't have guessed with how they were shouting and mixing in with the debates. It was headache inducing as the bare room echoed lowly.

Territory, had been the first one of the subjects being tackled when the summit started. Both galra emperor and altean king claimed to be ruler of certain planets and galaxies to which they could not prove ownership. These territories were somewhat split after the end of the day, both rulers giving up some reluctantly. The next thing they had been debating was a third law, specific rules and regulations which would be followed when galra and altean were to interact, surprisingly in this area they both had similar thoughts and laws were being written down easily by both galran and altean lords with some friction now and then.

The cause for most of the frustration in the chamber full of debating royals and lords would be keeping the peace between the two mighty species. Many had come to the conclusion that another marriage would be the best solution to seal their commitment of tranquility. Peace had been secured for many years thanks to the bond between Zarkon and Honerva, yet now a new era was coming. It only seemed logical to repeat what had worked so well in the past. Naturally it didn't take long to point out the obvious; empire Zarkon has a son and king Alfor a daughter. Allura, the daughter also present, and apparently a general herself, objected vividly while Keith's cousin Prince Lotor sat back to observe with an amused smirk.

Once the evening broke and both sides decided it was time to break off negotiations untill the next day nothing had been made final on the political marriage. There would be none by the looks of princess Allura, yet Alfor hadn't looked too opposed himself. Keith was curious about how this would unfold.

He was also wondering how his cousin Lotor felt about the idea, but the man never let anything leak beyond his smug mask. “I'll do my duty whatever the outcome,” he had told his father during dinner which satisfied the emperor. His wife, empress Honerva, had not looked too please but kept her opinion to herself.

They were dining in the dining hall of the main ship, the alteans had left for their own ship, which they called a castle, to partake of dinner without the presence of the galra. He was sure both parties were relieved to do without the other. Even his mother, Krolia, looked exhausted and she was relentless, could fight a whole day through enemy troops without looking disheveled but this however, with the annoyance, the frustration, the want to punch a fo in the face but having to stay somewhat polite had wrecked her.

Prince Lotor of course still had too much energy to burn and after dinner he had forced Keith to go with him and his generals to watch the fights at the arena. The fights were mediocre, which was usually the case on working days, they saved their best fighters for when the stadium was at it's fullest during the rest days of the month.

“What do you think of my betrothed, dear cousin.” Lotor questioned him as a galra prisoner clashed his sword against the sword of a large alien, who had been altered so much by the druids Keith couldn't recognize the creature's race.

“She isn't your betrothed.” He sat lazily in his padded chair, bored by the fight yet not taking his eyes of the dueling beasts.

He could hear the arrogant smile in his cousin's words as he responded,“not yet. I give it to the end of the week.”

“Okay.. well she's fierce, and strong. I think she'll suit you, but I also think you won't have the easiest of times with her.” The princess had a way of looking scary, especially when she was fiercely protesting against a marriage with the galran crown prince. Good luck, Lotor.

Lotor laughed, amused, “I'm counting on it. Life's getting boring anyway I need some.. friction.”

“Well,” Keith cringed, the choice of his cousin's words were as uncomfortable as always, “I hope you get it.”

“I wonder who'll suit you cousin.” Lotor mused, “I find it hard to picture you with someone, especially a galra.”

They were both halflings, only Keith was half human, his heritage made him look nothing like a galra, despite his facial features being close to his mother's, he did not have claws, purple skin, excessive fur, large hairy ears and worst of all he did not have their height. Keith was short, but he wasn't weak, and despite his lack of galra traits he had earned his respect as a galra prince, third in line to the emperor's seat, through his strength. He was swift and fluid in combat, he feared nothing, not even his own death and he was smart, which weren't the most common traits found in regular galras.

“I have no idea.” He answered truthfully before the druid's altered creature drove his sword through the chest of the galra prisoner. The defeated screamed as he went down, the sight earned some applause from the audience.

One of Lotor's generals yawned, Keith raised his eyebrows unimpressed, and Lotor looked displeased at the scene of the dying galra and the proud winner who pumped his fists into the air.

“Well, that was fast,” Lotor pointed.

“No foreplay, no fun,” Ezor, one of Lotor's generals said as she studied her nails uninterested.

Lotor gave her a look she didn't notice, one side of his lips tilted into a half smile. “Hmm, foreplay. I know a place where we can get lots of that.”

“Oh?” Ezor caught her prince's eyes with growing interest.

The prince stood up abruptly, “all of you with me.” He led them out of the gigantic chamber of the arena, and spoke to them again once they were out in the halls, walking into the direction of the transport cruisers, “if all goes well I'll be a man with a fiancé soon, shouldn't I enjoy my freedom while I have it? So, to the dark corners of the 9th ship we should go.”

“Yes! Now you're talking.” Ezor made a little jump out of excitement, though the others looked slightly hesitant. The 9th wasn't a scene you wanted to be seen in when maintaining an image of an honest, hard working soldier or general to be taken serious.

The dark corners, were the darkest halls of the ninth ship, the rooms found there were large and exclusive and each had a theme; drugs, liquor, whores; and each theme had a theme; rage or happy, sweet or bitter, adventurous or gentle, amongst many. The dark corners were not a small place, it took up nearly half of the ship and was lithered with choices, the other half was inhibited mostly by engineers which was a funny combination, though it was known engineers in particular love to drink.

It wasn't as if the dark corners were a forbidden place. The whore section was frequently visited by many high lords, lower nobels and generals, lower class soldiers and workers unable to pay the brothel's fees were often found at the bars. One's presence in the dark corners simply bared a person to being the subject of gossip, and snide remarks, many galra wouldn't care of such things but those stoic and ambitious enough steered clear of the corners.

Two of Lotor's generals excused themselves and escaped before Lotor could force them to come, however the prince didn't seem to mind their antics. Yet when Keith tried to do the same he grabbed him by the arm, not allowing him to go anywhere.

“Lotor,” he said, tense, “you know I can't afford to be seen there. The lords would love to have something to make me appear weak.”

“Nonsense, most lords are there getting their cock sucked,” the prince wound his grip tighter, “you don't want to go because my aunt Krolia forbade you. You've always been such a momma's boy. I think it's time for you to grow up.”

The other two generals laughed, and he practically growled, embarrassed at how true it was. His mother had forbidden him to go to the dark corners, saying it didn't matter what his friends would do but he was a respectful young man, who'd never lower himself to such standards.

“I also don't want to go!” He yelled, trying to get his arm out of his cousin's claw, an angered blush on his pale face. The generals snickered at his expense but Lotor dramatically sighed and let him go. Keith frowned in confusion, looking at his arm then at Lotor.

“Fine, don't go... I did want to show you this exotic brothel creature... what was the species again?” The prince feigned ignorance.

“I believe he was human.” Zethrid, the largest of his generals, shrugged as if unsure, playing along with Lotor.

Keith's interest was peeked, and he didn't bolt like he wanted to.

“Oh, right, human, a beautiful one too. Sun kissed skin, brown hair, and slim, never ending legs. I believed he danced as an act, very flexible.” Prince Lotor was clearly not embarrassed by his past visits to the dark corners.

“There's a human on this fleet?” Keith asked, the details his cousin summed together made him believe they didn't just make this human up to toy with him.

“Or maybe we're wrong, maybe you should check it out yourself,” Lotor said, sly smirk gracing his half altean features.

“Damnit, Lotor!” Keith cursed before he found himself manipulated into visiting the dark corners.

What would his mother say?

It only took a short trip with a commoners transport bus, there were hardly any passengers on it and the few present couldn't stop gawking at the two princes. Keith realized it must be a rare treat for them to see royalty especially on public transportation. Normally he would dress down and hide his features with a cap when he used the busses, but now he had his fancy red jacket on, if the firy red colour wasn't eye catching enough it also had the sybols of their empire proudly printed into the fabric. His black shirt and pants were plain, but with his regal sword at his side nobody would mistake him for a commoner. Lotor looked splendid on a whole other level, with a purple and silver tunic, the tightest black shiny pants and a glamorous, dark robe trimmed with black purple velvet.

At the 9th they arrived not far from the corners. They knew when they had arrived when they heard yelling, then saw a couple of drunk galra fighting and tearing at each other with none to great skill. Passing them they could smell the alcohol, then smelled the drugs after walking by a few opened doors. A naked galra was laying in full exposure near one of those doors.

Lotor looked at him in disgust. “When will they finally separate the whore houses from this filth? They can move the classy ones to another ship, and keep the ones with the shady looking whores here.”

The noises, the smells and the nude body did not charm Keith either, which made him wonder if the human was worth seeing, maybe he was a drug induced, drooling fellow like the one they saw in the hall.

“When you're the emperor you can enforce it.” Keith responded sarcastically as if Lotor wouldn't have other concerns than the location of the whore houses.

“I will,” the prince retorted to his amusement, “here it his.”

They had passed the suspicious halls, and entered a quiet area, it was clean with even some large potted plants to decorate the hall way. There were only a few doors in these halls, hinting at the largeness of the rooms, and each door had a guard beside it. If he hadn't know better he would have assumed they had entered one the halls of the noble's. Lotor stopped infront of the second door, and after receiving a respectful bow from the guard was granted entrance into the whorehouse.

Behind the door was another hall of some sorts, a small room with a thick red carpet, and walls decorated with cloth displaying elegant yet abstract patterns. The only thing in this space was a shiny metal desk and a young galra woman behind it, dressed in dark purple silk and bejeweled with bracelets and rings.

“Prince Lotor,” she greeted with a bow, “we are honored to receive you again here at Starlight.”

Starlight, Keith noted, he had never assumed brothel's had names other than brothel or whorehouse but of course they had. How would you set them apart otherwise? Not that he had ever found a need to set them apart. He had never been at an establishment like this one.

“We're here to see the human. Make him preform tonight?” Lotor gracefully made the question sound like an order.

“O-of course, your highness! I shall request it after the payment.”

Lotor entered his code into a small light screen projected from the metal desk above it, and paid for all of them. The young woman left right after into a side door, while they proceeded over the red carpet before Lotor made his way through another door at their right. Light spilled from the area behind the door and framed Lotor's body as he stepped into the room, clattering of dishes, soft delicate music, and whispers of conversations invited him in, only a step behind his cousin.

The brothel felt like another world, something impossible to be present at their fleet, the ceiling was so high he was unable to see it, the walls were see through, showing how space was engulfing them as if the chamber itself was a ship on it's own and not attached to the ninth ship. He wondered how they tricked them into seeing space with all it's beautiful purples, reds, blues and bright stars when he knew they were build in between the rest of the ship. In the midst of the room a balcony floated high in the middle of the chamber, displaying all sorts of greenery, leaves of many shapes, and vines reaching down in to the room, they passed a black metal fence with thin bars, and reached down low enough to almost touch Lotor's white hair. Some of these vines were decorated with shiny objects reflecting the light of the stars.

On the floor a similar fence stood dividing the chamber into multiple parts, a dining area with lots of tables and chairs, an area where beige tents were scattered, they were painted with flowers and birds, and from the inside they were illuminated showing silhouettes engaging in intimate rituals, and the rest of the room had comfortable chairs arranged with small tables or even round small beds with cushions and patterned quilts and linnen. In some areas the fence had locked around individuals in a circle, who were dancing naked in between the bars, some of these were galra but there seem to be many different exotic species. Plants were all around the chamber, making it seem like they were all gathered in a beautiful garden.

Infront the right side of a sheer wall, which peered into space, was a podium, most chairs, beds and even the dining tables were rearranged so they would face this space. Tall, yet thin pillars stood erected on this stage.

There was moaning all around, which he noticed when the awe off his surroundings had settled, it wasn't just within the tents where people were intimate, there were sexual activities going on almost everywhere, whores sitting on the laps of their pattrons, laying on the beds with them, or dancing with the men who paid for them in the clear spaces between the furniture. Even in the dining area whores were touching and teasing their patrons while they ate or drank. The sight twisted his stomach.

It was a bit too much for him.

Of course that would be amusing to his cousin, who threw him mocking looks before they were seated in the comfortable chairs near the stage. One of the generals had already disappeared, and the other went her way when Lotor dismissed her. Not far from them some generals Keith recognized sat, discussing training methods for cadets while some half dressed women were feeding them treats. His eyes widened as he realized one of them used to be his instructor. He had looked up to him.

“Don't faint on me, little cousin,” Lotor watched a young male waiter dressed only in red loincloth, placed some bubbly, pink drinks on their table, “you haven't even seen the human yet.”

“I-I..,” he stuttered, before his eyes settled on another familiar figure not far from them, “is that Sendak!?” That man was his uncle's left hand, he was a warrior like no other, cruel yet efficient. He went on all the important missions. And there he was being tickled by a half galra, young male dressed in see through robes, Sendak was laughing hard, tears spilled from his eyes as he dangled off his chair.

Lotor burst out into laughter once he saw him,”well, yes... well even Sendak needs to unwind sometimes. You could learn from him Keith.”

“I don't want to look that stupid while unwinding,” he felt highly uncomfortable as he drank his fruity drink in one gulp. Which was delicious, layered with multiple tones off flavors without being overbearing, it suited the whorehouse in it's taste with it's exotic interior.

“There he is,” Lotor took his own drink in his hand, the cristal cup balanced on two long fingers.

And there he was. The figure walked quickly through the room from the back, head down as he made his way to the stage. Lotor had been accurate in his description of him. The first thing Keith noticed was how human he looked, the second was the caramel skin, and how smooth it seemed, almost seem to be radiating with warmth. He had soft brown locks cut short and arranged neatly to frame his face with slight waves, the back of his bare neck catching his attention as well, before he took in the outfit, the cropped light blue top, leaving his thin waist bare, naked skin all the way down to a low hanging harem pants dyed in several different hues of blue, his feet were bare with a silver ankle bracelet decorating his left ankle.

Keith wasn't sure if it was because he had only seen a handful of full humans in his life but he thought this one was extremely beautiful.

“Told you,” a smug voice came from next to him as he seated himself straight into his chair when the human stepped on to the stage.

The exotic human walked to a pillar on the stage, hand caressing the smooth surface of it, before he looked around the chamber as if waiting for a cue. The low hum of the music died down and a feminine voice spoke through the speakers instead, “ladies, gentlemen, and everyone else, the human Lance will be performing a second time tonight per request of our most special guest. Please give him a warm welcome.” The music returned, while Lance was giving animated bows towards the audience, a dazzling smile on his face as he stood upright again in a starting pose. There were people applauding and there were cheers and catcalls, Keith did neither frozen in his seat with anticipation.

Then Lance started moving, he started with simple dance moves, loosening his body by swaying his arms, shoulders and hips all in line with the beat of the music, before he started circling the pole and crouched down with one leg while the other reached up in a straight line, his toes pointed to the ceiling. The straight leg bended as he pulled himself up while his back arched and dipped low, showing the pattern of his ribs and his taut stretched belly. Straightening his upper body slowly, he lifted himself up on the pole and spun himself around it, with one leg curled around the pillar and the other lifting up elegantly. He proceeded to show moves which left Keith's throat dry, sliding up and down the slim pillar erotically, managing to hang upside down, spread eagle, which pulled loud applause and roars from the crowd, and folding his body in impossible ways.

Keith heard Lotor conversing with someone while his eyes stayed transfixed on the dancer, only to be shaken from his daze when Lotor whispered in his ears, “he's all yours tonight.”

“W-what?” The half galra asked as he forced himself to look at his cousin.

“For you to do with what you want,” Lotor explained as he rose from his seat, “take him to one of the tents. I doubt you can perform with an audience.”

Keith was about retort to that when a beastly woman came up to Lotor and offered her arm, “shall we?” Her low voice asked. Beastly was really the right word to discribe her, she was at least two heads taller than Lotor, muscular with broad shoulders, her body was covered with dark blue fur, the only hairless skin was shown on her face, naked breasts and tucked in behind the black skirt she was wearing, the color of her skin blue despite her face showing some galran features.

“Really?” Keith mouthed at Lotor, who shrugged a shoulder.

“I've got to try everything while I still can.” He looked whimsical before he left, hand placed within the inside of the woman's furry elbow.

With a shake of his head he turned back to the performance, where lance was now hanging mid air by ropes coming from the high ceiling, he was was holding on by his hands, the strength and muscles of his arms pronounced. His long, lean legs moving in circular motions at first before lifting up and swaying, dancing in a rhythm of their own, then he went face down and legs up before he appeared to fall down, Keith had almost risen from his chair before he noticed it was part of the dance and he relaxed again. Applause, cheering, music and the moaning all tuned out when Keith focused on Lance, who was the first human he had seen in years. He was both eager yet nervous for the performance to end so he could talk to him.

For you to do with what you want.

Lotor's tempting words flowed through his head, and he could feel a hint of arousal he was desperate to quell. He couldn't use the only human on the fleet for his pleasure, he wanted more, he was desperate for a connection, for stories from earth, to hear about rituals and traditions who were once part of his father's life. The father who had died before he could share any of this knowledge with him. He needed more from this Lance than physical pleasure which would only last for an evening.

Minutes went by like hours, and when the performance ended and Lance was dramatically bowing to accept the audience their cheers, his tanned skin was covered by a layer of sheer transpiration. It made him look more desirable than he should. Soon after he walked over to Keith, his eyes, they were blue, went wide for a second followed by confusion and Keith wondered if he had recognized him as the emperor's nephew.

“Hello, my lord,” the high notes of Lance's voice were sweet sounding as he smiled at him, “we've reserved a tent just for you.. and me.” He reached out a hand for Keith to take, “would you like to follow me?”

“Y-yes,” Keith stuttered embarrassingly as he reached for the hand and let himself be pulled up. He noticed Lance was taller than him but only by a little. “You were great up there, I mean, you were nice.” Great than nice? Really, Keith? He thought, forcing himself to shut up.

“Why, thank you,” Lance accepted the compliment cheerfully as if he hadn't noticed the awkwardness. The young man led him by the hand through the pathways lined by the black fence, giving Keith the opportunity to gaze at the back of his neck, which was slender and long with little brown hairs making a ladder to the soft short waves of his pixie cut, the urge to touch him was overbearing.

They entered an empty round tent to which Lance held the curtained entrance open for him, and inside there was soft yellow light, and stacks of cushions and quilts making almost the whole tent look like one large bed. There were tall standards for the lamps and threads of sparkly beads dangling from the roof, giving everything just a tad more elegance.

“What's your name?” Lance let the curtains fall back, observing him quietly, his hands folding together behind his back.

Keith turned to him in surprise, “you don't know who I am?”

“Should I?” The human asked, “I.. think I know what you are though.”

“And what am I?”

“Human,” Lance tilted his head to the side looking him up and down, “aren't you? I wasn't aware there were other humans around except for me and my friend.”

“Your friend,” Keith's thick black eyebrows lifted, there was another one? “Does your friend work here too?”

Lance nodded then stepped closer towards him, his arms snapping loose from behind his back and framed his almost golden skin that was bared of his waist, “he does but as a cook. He works at the restaurant, you should eat there after we're done. His food is the best you'll have ever tasted.” His palms stroke over Keith's shoulders then down to his back, his arms around his neck, and his face far too close to his own.

“Oh.. I.. I'm not human,” he could swear Lance's face fell a little in disappointment, “half! I'm half human.” To which those blue eyes perked up again in curiosity.

“You must have really proven yourself, to be able to be so close to prince Lotor. I'm impressed someone whose a half human can rise that far,” Lance lowered his voice towards seductive tones as he brought his lips to hover against Keith's.

“Thanks,” he whispered back, not sure if he should explain how this half human was third in line to become emperor or that prince Lotor was his cousin. Would that impress Lance or would he look disappointed again? He was afraid it was the latter. There were so many questions he wanted to ask but by the time he finally found a question on his tongue Lance had pushed his lips against his. The man's hands roaming over his chest now, up and down over the thin fabric of his black shirt, feeling the strong muscles underneath it before pulling of his red jacket.

Keith wasn't sure what to do after his jacket fell to the ground his hands were mid air, as if he was role playing a bird going into flight and Lance was kissing and pulling at his mouth, the man's hands pulling his shirt out of his pants as if he wanted to take it off. He stopped suddenly to look at Keith questionably, “are you alright?”

He grabbed Keith's hands from their bird like position and placed them on his waist, on his bare skin, “you can touch me. It's okay.”

“I, uhm, I wanted to talk to you,” Keith's voice was hoarse and his resolve dissipating more at the feel of soft skin underneath his fingertips.

“That's fine, talk to me,” the other said, a smirk on his lips before he dived forward to his neck and kissed him there softly, a lick followed and Keith's plans of forming some sort of platonic friendship were lost. His hands were rubbing into the whore's skin, trying to feel more, wanting more, before he pulled off the blue crop and stepped forward to kiss at the bare neck and shoulders, pulling the half naked man closer to him.

“Your name?” Lance asked softly.

“Keith.”

“Hmm, Keith,” he moaned his name faintly, but just loud enough to send shivers down through the half galra his body.

This night was going to end up killing him.

Then in a blink of a moment Lance showed off that strength in his arms as he, rather violently, pushed at his chest knocking him down. Keith fell backwards by the blow, bracing for a painful impact of the floor against his back but instead he bounced against something featherly. Lance was on top of him, strong thighs straddling him before he could process what had just happened. Lance's teeth bit and stretched his bottom lip then kissed him fiercely.

The black haired prince opened his mouth, deepening the kiss, his hands climbed back at Lance his waist, gently touching him before he grabbed his sides, pushed him up into the air then threw him with his back against the hidden matress on the ground next to him. He was on top of him now and grasped the other his wrists in each of his hands before pinning them down next to his head. Keith grinned at the small frown on Lance's face before reaching down continuing their kiss.

Distracted by the human's knee pushing up slowly against his groin, which was a very unfair move, Keith lost control as Lance wiggled free and had Keith pinned down again. He had no idea how long they wrestled around in the tent through the cushions, the quilts, and the soft covers, everything ended up looking a mess, but he loved how easily Lance laughed, how he giggled at Keith's touches or how triumphant he looked when he managed to gain the upper hand in their playful fight. He felt like they were two lion cubs play fighting and testing their powers against eachother.

It came to an end when Lance was underneath him out of breath, with his hair in complete disarray, his bare chest rising up and down in a rapid tempo, looking delicious. Lance had taken Keith's hand and guided it down into his loose hanging harem pants. There was nothing but naked skin underneath the light fabric and he began stroking him, enjoying the sight of seeing Lance slowly coming undone.

He was already hard himself, had been for a while with how they were moving around against eachother. The other just had a way of turning him on with barely anything, and the way he was now arching his back and muttering his name while he was underneath him, Keith wasn't going to last. So, he stopped his movements and slid the flowy pants off of Lance's legs, the sight of him naked making him almost moan, and he quickly got rid of his own shirt, his pants following within seconds.

Keith took him in, placing a hand each side of the other man's face while he hovered above him, their eyes heavy lidded as they looked at each other. He bended down to kiss him again, softly, while he lowered his naked body on top of him. Lance embraced him, his hands carresing his back as he parted his legs and lifted his knees up, granting Keith the intimate access he searched for.

The black haired prince grinded against him for awhile, letting their members meet with much desired friction. Lance's slim body felt delicate in his arms, knowing he wasn't weak yet he felt like he should treat him with the utmost care, as he finally prepared him one hand down to open him up and carefully finger him. Lube came supplied with the tent. The brown haired delicacy moaned and rutted at his touch, always calling out his name to which Keith lightly puffed up his chest feeling prideful at the sound of it.

Coming together was an unreal sensation, one Keith couldn't describe, his eyebrows knitted together and his primal instict guided him to burry himself deep into Lance, never wanting to release or to slip out, desiring the connection forever. Lance was also in a reality of his own, judging by the lost expression on his face, how his eyes rolled back and by the way his mouth was partly opened, and gasping at every right angle Keith took.

The prince took hold of the inside of Lance's knees, pushing them forward to fold Lance into himself so he could reach over and catch his gaping mouth with his own. Slow kisses as he chased pleasure with a steady rhytm, which build up heavier and heavier until the both of them became frantic rushing against eachother for and even deeper connection.

Unfortunately release came sooner than he desired, and both of them came to completion. To Keith slipping out came filled with dread, it felt like he had only just begun for it to end already, and he decided to get back to kissing Lance on his mouth, on his cheeks, his neck his chest, until he realized Lance wasn't responding to his touches anymore.

He propped himself on his elbows as he looked down at the other, who was studying him again. The man reached up to caress a black lock of hair back behind his ear, “you looked beautiful when you came.” He said, to which Keith could only blush in respond.

“You always look beautiful,” Keith ended up saying, covering Lance's hand with his own before he brought it to his lips, placing a chaste kiss against his palm. He could feel him shiver as he did.

“I need to go,” Lance's voice was so soft Keith had to strain to hear the words, “you're not my only customer tonight.” Which were the words that took a knife to his heart, and anger, and jealousy, even betrayal danced around in his aching heart but he managed to cover it up by looking away to not make a complete fool of himself.

“O-of course,” his words stumbled.

Lance rose up and took a cushion from somewhere, it was a small red cushion with golden trim, on the inside a tissue box was buried within it's soft walls. He took a few tissues himself before giving the cushion to Keith. Then he proceeded to get dressed, which didn't take too long, as he hadn't worn many articles. The prince observed his every move, and saw the sad way his face was tilted down, though common sense told him he only wanted to see some sort of sadness, so he could spin a fairytale about Lance wanting to stay with him.

Before he left, the tanned boy did kneel down infront of him, looked him in the eyes firmly before he kissed him gently against his lips, “come back if you can.”

“I will.” Afterall he knew he could not stay away, he couldn't even look away now as the other stood up and looked down with a small smile.

“Ask for Hunk in the kitchen, he'll tell you all about us humans if you ask nicely, he might even give you a treat.” Which was the last thing he said before he left.

Keith sighed and let himself fall back into the soft surface of the ground, he layed naked within all the layers of quilts and beddings for the longest time. Just trying to process everything that had happened, visions of Lance dancing, and Lance naked and aroused swam through his mind. The way his lips felt against his skin, his fingertips on his body, before he knew it he was guiding himself through his second orgasm. Wishing Lance was still here with him.

When he finally exited the tent he felt exhausted. Lotor wasn't anywhere to be seen, though one of his generals was having way too much fun on one of the public beds, he grimaced and looked away. The restaurant caught his eye. For a moment he hesitated but then he decided to go back and get some rest. He wanted to talk to the other one, Hunk, soon, but for the moment he was too full of Lance to feign interest in another human being.

He sneaked back into the halls of the royal family on the main ship, which he shared with Lotor and his mother. The emperor and empress had their own section of the ship with multiple halls of their own. He managed to get to his chambers without being caught by Krolia, and questions of where he had been, or by Lotor who he was sure had questions of how it had been. Devastating and blissful, would be the answer, both in equal portions, but he didn't feel like sharing his experience.

The next day the alteans arrived early in the morning again. Keith and the rest of the galra had to rush their breakfast and hurry towards the conference room to not let them wait too long. Most galra lords grumbled about how the alteans were purposely that early just to annoy them.

Then the meeting began, territory was debated again as Zarkon had changed his mind and demanded certain planets to be his, more laws were added to the book they were calling 'etiquettes between the Galra and the Altean', and the marriage was pointedly refused again by Allura. However this time she was calmer about the issue, and at times she seemed to be looking at Keith as if he was a better solution to the marriage deal.

If that was the way things were going to get down, he would be the one refusing the marriage arrangement between the two species. There was no way. Lotor however still hadn't joined the discussion of a hypothetical marriage he was already thinking of as non-hypothetical. He had something up his sleeve, Keith didn't doubt it.

At end of the meeting he slipped away before he could be urged to dining hall. He was almost to one of the transport busses when he heard his name being called out.

“Keith.”

It was his mother.

“Where do you think you're going?”

He turned around unwillingly. “I'm going to get dinner somewhere else.”

“In the dark corners of the ninth, perhaps?” She looked at him with unconcealed disappointment, “I have heard very interesting rumors about my son this morning. Why would you go to such a place?”

“Mom, I'm an adult, alright? And it's not like I'm going for the bliss pills or the heavy liquor.”

“I'm not going to forbid you to go. I'm just asking why. Is it.. are you lonely? We can search for a partner in marriage, you don't have to be on your own.”

“I'm not-!” He started, then realized his mother was actually on point. He never noticed how lonely he had felt, not until last night when he was able to be with someone he trully desired, someone human and soft, someone he longed to have a connection with. “I've met a human there. Actually there are two humans, and I'm going back to talk to them.”

Princess Krolia looked surprised, “humans on the fleet? I had no idea. They are far from any human colonies. How did they end up here?”

Keith shrugged, he had been wondering the same thing, “I'm going to ask them.” Because this time he was really only going back to talk, no matter how Lance would challenge him into breaking from his intentions.

His mother, sighed, but nodded as if she understood, “be careful. The ninth can be an unsafe place sometimes.”

“I'll be alright,” he said, before returning towards the direction of the bus terminal.

It must have been because he was early but the whorehouse was mostly empty with a stray partron and his paid company here and there. The tables at the restaurant were the busiest, he assumed people would simply go there for dinner as well to just enjoy the magical room with only their food and maybe a friend or a colleague.

Keith had immediately requested Lance when he had entered the red carpeted hall, the girl at the desk was not in as much of a rush as she was yesterday when Lotor had ordered her. He wasn't sure when Lance would come out, but he had told her he'd be at the restaurant.

“Hello?” He stood at the bar, where he could just about peer into the kitchens by an opened door in the back. The cooks seemed to be preparing and getting ready, lots of cutting sounds and the opening and closing of fridges could be heard.

Behind the bar a waiter in full, classic suit was busy giving orders to a group of other, half dressed, waiters and waistresses, before he turned to him. “Hello, oh, prince Keith! What a pleasure to receive you at our humble establishment! If you take a seat we'll be with you momentarily.”

“I was actually looking for someone called Hunk?”

“Oh, one of our chefs, I'll see if he can come out.” The man stomped towards the kitchens with less grace than Keith would have expected from Starlight staff, and popped his head through the door, “chef! Hunk, you, come here!”

“Darnit, Sal! You can't disturb me when I'm in the middle of making art! I've told you a million times!” An angry voice roared back.

“Prince Keith is here to see you! You want to ignore royalty now!?” Sal snapped, before bowing at Keith and returning to the other personnel.

Hunk rushed through the door, and stared at him with large eyes. “I-I know who you are!”

Keith raised his eyebrows, “yeah, that guy just introduced me.”

“No, I, mean, Lance told me about you.” He moved forward, awkwardly as if Keith's presence was intimidating. Hunk was a big guy, he had brown skin with dark brown hair, his face was a squarish round and friendly looking, his voice was kind, completely different from when he was shouting at Sal in the kitchen.

“He talked about me?” Keith asked, a shy touch to his words.

“Talked about you? Gee, he couldn't shut up abou-,” he started excited before he played it down, as if catching himself making a mistake, “I mean, yeah, he might have mentioned you or something.”

“I see,” the prince answered, trying to subdue the grin which wanted to be displayed on his face, “he told me to come see you. Did he tell you I'm half human? I just, I guess, I don't know much about my father's species... I suppose I'm curious about you and him. If you don't mind.”

“No, no, not at all. I totally get it,” Hunk said, before he looked back at the sound of a dozen pans clashing and falling in the kitchen, he visibly cringed, “I, huh, it's actually the busiest time of the day now, the customers are going to stream in within the next fifteen minutes. Can we, like, meet up after the rush has passed? I'll let them bring you something delicious! Have you eaten?”

“Yeah, that's fine. And no I haven't.”

“Go on take a seat, one of Sal's waiters will serve you. I've got something really nice planned.” The big guy said, apparently excited by the food he thought of as he rushed back inside.

The food came quickly. He had decided to sit at a lonely looking table in a corner, it had a soft cushioned bench on one side and two chairs on the other, he was on the bench, his figure hidden from the other patrons by a giant tree like plant next to the table. The meal looked and tasted very foreign, it had an array of little dishes and a bowl of some sort of grain with strange vegetables and white cubes in a yellow sauce. There was soup, fried vegetables with a crunchy layer of batter, pickled roots of an unfamiliar kind and an orange purree dressed up arfully with little green leaves.

It all tasted devine, and very different from traditional galra food. He could see why people would just come to Starlight to eat. However there was so much of it he was worried about how he was going to finish it all. It was then when he felt the cushioned bench dipping, and he turned to the right to see Lance smiling at him.

“Is it good?”

“Uh, uh,” he sounded, momentarily stunned by the sudden appearance of the handsome human. He looked flawless underneath the soft lights, like a painting coming to life, dressed in soft blues again, but this time in a loose fitting tunic which covered his entire upper body, yet was see through. “S'good.”

“These are my fav,” Lance picked up a fried vegetable with pink skin and popped it in his mouth, a crunchy sound released when he chewed before he licked at his fingers seductively. “Hmmm, perfect.”

Keith swallowed, “yeah, those are nice... do you want to join in?”

“I don't want to bloat...” Lance seemed to seriously consider the consequences of eating.

He shoved the plate with the fried veggies infront of Lance. “Who cares,” he stated harshly to which the other blinked then smiled a little.

“Thanks,” he ate another one, “I guess it doesn't matter if you don't care. You hired me for the rest of the day. I won't have other customers.”

“Yeah. That's right,” the prince sounded just a tad possessive.

Lance was quiet for awhile as they ate, but the silence didn't last long. “I didn't know you were a prince, last night, I didn't know who you were.”

Keith chewed slowly, “were you.. disappointed when you found out?”

“I was ecstatic!” Lance practically cheered, “who wouldn't want a prince as a patron? Hey, would you like me to feed you?” His hand crept up to Keith's side, “or is there something else you'd like me to do?”

The half galran prince placed down his cutlery and grabbed Lance by the wrist, pulling his hand away from him. It seemed like the exotic dancer was forcing words out of his mouth, fake, a little too cheerful. The way he acted suddenly felt different from yesterday when he seemed so natural.

As he looked into his blue eyes, he could tell the boy was confused, so was he. He felt angry out of no where, anger at himself for not being able to control his desires the night before, for having used Lance as a whore, anger that Lance was putting up an act, and just pissed off by the whole situation of finally finding someone he wanted to get to know but their job is to sexually please every customer that pays them.

Lance frowned at him and jerked his wrist out of his hold, “what are you suddenly looking so worked up about?”

“Just tell me the truth when I ask you a question.”

“People don't come here for the truth,” Lance answered, his frown disappeared, “they come here for their fantasies.”

“Yeah, well, I came because I.. I,” what did he come back for? To get to know more about his human side, or to get to know more about Lance in particular? But how did that work when he had to pay the other man for his time?

“Do you really want to know?”

“Yeah.”

“I thought you were charming, and kind of shy, it surprised me when one of the girls said you were Zarkon's nephew. I thought all galra princes would be like Lotor, the type that looks at other creatures like they're below them or unworthy to be in their presence. Arrogant. But you seem different. Not that I really know you or anything, maybe you are arrogant, I just haven't noticed yet.” He dived into the orange purree, and hummed as the taste bloomed in his mouth, “that one is new.”

“Can I just talk to you for a bit?”

Lance looked at the food, a spoon running through the orange dish again, “I feel like if I'm going to say 'you paid for the night you can do whatever you want' you'll get angry. But that's pretty much how it is. You've never been to places like this before have you?”

“Is it that obvious? Last night was my first time,” he admitted.

“Thought so. Thing is we don't get too close to our customers, and vice versa, it'll get complicated. Especially in this business. I've heard of this girl who fell in love with a galra general. It was before I came here, but apparently this dick visited her all the time and was completely fascinated by her, making all the promises she wanted to hear. Then he just dropped her out of the blue and married some noble woman. The girl was left heart broken and unable to do her job.” He leaned in close to whisper, “rumor has it she's practically a zombie now turning tricks in the drugs halls.”

“I see.” Keith figured he told him that because he didn't want to end up there himself. “Can I take you somewhere outside of Starlight?”

“Didn't I just tell you not to get to close to me? Was that too subtle for you?”

The black haired prince rose an eyebrow, “was that an insult?”

“Noooo,” he managed to look too innocent for the answer to be sincere.

“Like I said I just want to talk to you.”

“Yes, well, talking, besides dirty talk, is kind of how you bond and get closer to someone.”

“Just come with me,” keith's voice broke a little out of frustration. He stood up quickly.

The way Lance stared at him with doubtful blue eyes made him look vulnerable, a shaky sigh left his lips before he rose as well. “Okay.”

Lance had to go change, unable to leave the whorehouse scantily dressed. He emerged from the dressing rooms, dressed in simple blue pants and a baggy white sweater. He suddenly looked like an average guy, as if a magical spell had been lifted, and the elegant exotic creature was no more. But why did Keith's heart quicken by the sight of him looking so plain?

Then the human smiled and he looked radiant and magical even without silky fabrics to frame him.

“Not what you expected?” Lance grinned at him.

He looked him up and down again before he smiled back, “I like it better.”

“Really?”

“Yes.” This was the real Lance, the one he wanted to get to know better.

“So, where are we going?” The brown haired man asked when he followed him into the halls.

Keith decided to avoid the gaudy part of the corners and walk through the apartment halls instead. He had memorized part of the ninth map before hand, knowing which turns and halls to take. “The balconies, I've rented one.”

“Wow. You came prepared. The ninth balconies aren't much though. I've seen pictures of the first and second ships, now those are balconies! The ones here are just clefts between two walls with an old chair or two, the view is only good when you're lucky, most of the time you're looking at the rear end of the eighth.”

“I'm not going there for the view. Just some privacy.”

“Alright. Are you always this thorough?”

“I just don't like all those people around me! I've only been there once yesterday, because Lotor pretty much made me, and they're already talking about it. My mom found out about it.” He hated it when people couldn't mind their own business. What was it to them where he spends his time?

Lance laughed, “nothing that spreads as fast as galra gossip! But you must be used to it, being royalty. I'm sure they've been gossiping about you all your life.”

True. “That doesn't mean I like it.”

“It must have been quite something when your parents got together. I know what the galra think about humans. Weak, useless, good only for basic needs.” There was a hint of bitterness and sadness intertwined with those words.

Keith knew all of that, his father had been seen as an opportunist, they claimed he used his mother for power and wealth. In the end his father's death was suspicious, and Keith grew up having to proof himself to a whole empire of people he didn't trust. Except for his mother and a few of his teachers. If it wasn't for them and if he hadn't showed his strength growing up, he might have not made in to adulthood.

“Yes. My father didn't live to tell.”

“Oh my god,” Lance grabbed his arm, “I-I'm so sorry.”

Lance might think he knew the galra but the prince could still see the innocence in those dark, blue eyes. He didn't yet know how far some of them went to get their way or to even just prove a point. He smiled at him sadly, “thank you. We're here.”

The half galra prince opened a door to a small room. Balconies were suppose to be luxury rooms with cushioned seats and the best views through thick, glass walls. However his human had been right, this one was the size of a storage room, the chairs seemed to have been repaired with tape a few times and their view was about eighty percent obscured by another ship.

“Charming.” He sighed, and they both tried to pass around the chairs without knocking them down so they could sit down. “Do you want me to order some drinks?” He asked as he finally sat down and a screen appeared with a menu card in between the seats.

“Not unless you want us to get sick,” the brown haired boy sat, sitting at the edge of the chair and grimacing. It also wasn't the cleanest place.

“You're probably right..” he swiped the screen away and it disappeared. Lance laughed and he smiled back, itching to reach forward and touch him if only just to take his hand or pat his knee, but he declined himself into doing so. “Are you from Earth?” He questioned eagerly instead, his mother had told him stories about earth from when she had visited the planet and fell in love with his father.

The other shook his head, “no. I've never even been near there. I'm from Sun Rise, it's a quite a big human fleet. I was born there, but the oldest generation from the fleet were born on earth, like my grandparents.”

“Why did they leave earth?”

“Overpopulation, mostly. Some parts of the earth were uninhabitable and back then scientists claimed another forty percent of the world would become uninhabitable within two decades. I don't know if that actually happened. Our communications were disconnected from earth, so we didn't get the follow up. Conspiracy theory is they wanted to scare people into leaving earth willingly so the rest of them would have more place to chill.”

“Oh.” Keith took it in slowly, “the galra mostly live on fleets. Our home planet is completely uninhabitable.”

“Seems a thing intelligent species like to do. Killing the planets they live on. They don't know how lucky they are, right? Our fleet is called Sun Rise but I've never seen an actual sunrise.” He propped his elbows on his knees, placing his chin onto his palms, a dreamy look in his eyes as he stared out the window. Keith wondered if he was trying to imagine one.

“I've seen some.. on different worlds. They can be beautiful.” 'I'll take you there', was on his lips as well, but he couldn't possibly say that. Not yet. This was their first proper conversation. He would sound like a complete nitwit. “Why did you leave Sun Rise?”

There was a moment of hesitation. Lance looked at him before quickly looking back at what he could see of the stars. “I.. um, I didn't willingly.”

“What do you mean? Did someone force you?”

The blue eyed man frowned, then sat up straight, his hands restless on his laps. He was uncomfortable. “I'm not sure if I'm suppose to talk about it. I don't think I should.”

“Please, tell me.” The prince urged. He wanted to know.

The human sighed heavily, “don't... don't tell on me.”

“To who?” Keith asked, confused.

“To your people. Your mom and whoever. To anyone where I work. We don't talk about how we get there, not even to each other.”

He frowned but nodded, “okay..”

“Sun Rise got approached by a galra ship about three years ago. We knew who they were. Our leaders decided not to fight because they knew we were no match against the galra. Their soldiers boarded on to our ships, claimed we were in their territory and that we owed them taxes for being there. They didn't want our currency or anything else our leaders suggested, they wanted workers, from engineers to cleaners, as many as they needed but they did promise not to take more than one person from a family. Then they went through our whole fleet, examined every family and when they reached ours.” Lance sucked in his lower lip nervously, not looking at him when he continued to tell what happened, “they wanted my sister! She was only fourteen, and they didn't hide the fact that they wanted to put her in a brothel. The whole hall went crazy, we even tried to fight them but they were galra, they knocked my dad down with one punch and he is a big guy! Before I knew it I was like 'take me instead' and.. to my surprise they did. Mom was screaming, and dad and some of our neighbors still tried to fight those galra soldiers while I was being taken away. It was such a mess.”

Lance suddenly grinned, eventhough his eyes were watery, “and then there was Hunk. He tried to stop them, but his legs were shaking so hard I thought he was going to fall down. Then he started yelling about how good he could cook and that they were idiots if they didn't take him as well. His mother was hitting him on the head while she was crying, but he didn't back down. He didn't want me to be alone.” He wiped at his eyes, smearing the wetness against his tanned skin. “We spend sometime on their ship until we got traded on to another and to another. That's how we eventually ended up here. The galra at least allowed us to stay together.”

Keith was shocked, “that.. you were forced? But that's slavery.”

“No, it isn't. We get paid for what we do.” Lance said firmly as if the word 'slavery' physically hurt him.

“Against your will!”

“You promised not to tell anyone!”

“Will you get in trouble if I do?”

“Obviously! How they get their sex workers it's not exactly legal, if it get's out? Starlight and other whorehouses will be forced to close and they'll lose a lot of money. Do you think they're going to let that happen? It's dangerous to even hint that we're there against our will. They'll shut anyone up who might talk.”

It's concealed slavery. Lance was pretty much a slave. Slavery had been banned twenty years ago by Zarkon albeit through pressure of foreign alien rights policies. But why would anyone care if it happened low key under a veil of deception as long as foreign politics didn't get whift of it and threaten the galra's image within the alliance of the power species.

Then it struck him. Like a flaming sword in his gut. “I made you.. with me. Yesterday.” He ran a hand through his hair, panic rising, “oh, no, no.”

“No. Keith, stop it.” Lance grabbed his wrist and pulled his hand down when he fisted his hair, “truth is I wanted to with you, I practically jumped you.. no not practically. I jumped you. You did nothing wrong.”

It was wrong. Keith looked at him wide eyed, wondering how Lance could even be in the same room as him. His mind raced to a million things at once, to how despite of what he now knew he still desired him, how to get him out of there, how to make things better for him. How could Lance still smile? How did he do that?

“I knew I shouldn't I could just feel it my gut.” He said aloud, mostly to himself, Lance's confession hardly registered. “Why did I let that happen?”

“Because I'm so irresistible,” Lance wiggled his eyebrows.

“A-are you serious?! Don't make this into a joke!”

“Stop acting like this is your life. What the hell? It's got nothing to do with you! You've known me what, like five minutes?

“Maybe not, but you can't just make light of your situation.”

“What else? Break down and cry? Wallow in self pity? Maybe that's your style, but that's not how I survive. My sister is safe because of me. I get to video chat with my family in my free hours. I got a place to sleep and I'm safe and I get treated pretty well. Is it perfect? No. But if I'm going to spend my good looking years in a place like that I'm not going to spend all that time feeling sorry for myself. I'm going to make the best of it.”

Keith looked at him stunned. He wasn't sure how to respond to any of that. He didn't think he ever met anyone who thought like that, it was not a galra way of thinking. A galra would be plotting revenge, taking down anyone who had touched them even if it was a suicide mission. That's what Keith would have done.

“Can I go back now? It stinks here and you're awful company today.” Lance frowned and pouted at the same time. Keith thought it was cute.

“I'm sorry..”

“For being an ass? For taking me to a stinking place? It better be because if you're going to apologize for yesterday again I swear I'm going to pull on your mullet.”

“For.. the first two things.”

“Good.”

Keith sighed then laughed, suprising his companion. “God, you're overwhelming.” The guilt didn't subside, but Lance was impressive. He didn't see himself as a victim but as the hero who saved his sister.

“In a good way?” He grinned like a cat.

“I'm not sure yet... I won't pretend to know what you've been through but I.. never mind. I'll bring you back.” He won't let Lance stay there. Over his death body. He was going to get him out of Starlight, but he didn't want to say it out loud afraid the human would think he was making false promises like the general had done to the girl in that story Lance had told him earlier. “I'll let you have a free night. You can chat with your family.”

Lance's eyes widened then his expression softened, “Keith.. that's.. thank you.”

Like a gentleman he brought him all the way back to Starlight. Lance managed to bewilder him again with a quick peck on his lips when they said goodbye, throwing Keith off balance and making him feel like they had just been on their first date. He apologized to Hunk through Sal for not staying to talk like they had planned, but it was the same as the day before he was too full of one human to be able to focus on the other. It was what Lance did to him, he took him on a roller coaster ride of emotions then left him in a whirlwind of new information to digest.

This time the new information had set him on a mission. Get Lance, and Hunk, because he seemed like a nice guy, out of that place and bring them home. It ached that he wouldn't be able to safe everyone but once Lance was brought to safety he would tell his mother about what he'd found out, and he didn't doubt she would start a fierce war with the whorehouses.

Such injustice was something princess Krolia could not stomach, it filled her with rage just like it did Keith. Talking to Lance made him realize just how similar he was to her, how prominent his galra side was even if his appearance was so human like. Him and Lance were fundamentally different, still... also alike in a way, he felt connected to him, like he could relate. Lance gave up his life, his body, to protect someone he loved. Keith would have done the same.

In the following days Keith kept going to the negotiations. His mother made sure he did as his presence there was a sign of his significance within the royal family even if he hardly said a word or two. After the meetings he went to Starlight, he liked dining there and he finally got to talk to Hunk. The large human was kind and funny, the type of character anyone could get along with, he loved talking about Sun Rise, his family and especially food. Keith enjoyed listening to him.

He had catched Lance performing a couple of times. The young slender man was a different being on stage. As if he were magician he enchanted the whole audience, Keith in particular. The dancer wore a different outfit each time. The one Keith liked the most was a sparkling, white tunic, and pink shorts, Lance's long, tanned legs matched incredibly well with pastel pink. Then one night as he twirled down from the rope back to the surface of the stage and Keith had hoped to catch a word with him, Lance got guided away by a burly garla general. That night Keith forced himself to go training in order to prevent from harming anyone who wasn't a training robot.

The next day he had sent a servant to Starlight to book Lance for the entire week, so nobody could steal him away from him. They talked and laughed, even shared a tent one night but he controlled himself enough to not go further than tender kissing. Lance hadn't appreciated his control and they ended up fighting, one of the whorehouse's guards had peeked into their tent to see if Lance was alright. At seeing the guard's face they both fell into uncontrolled laughter.

One slow evening they had gotten a meal together with Hunk. To Keith witnessing the friends interact was another new experience. He felt demure in their presence, and found himself envious of their friendship. He had never had anyone like that, not even when he was a child. Galra just weren't so trusting and unguarded around eachother the way they were. It had never occurred to him that he was subconsciously yearning for a connection just like that. For a true friend.

Nearing the end of the week he had a hard time remembering his life before Lance. It was as if a light had gone on his life and he was no longer dwelling inside the darkness of his own mind. His head was now full of him. That smile, the silly things he said, the touch of his hand or the feel of that soft hair against his skin.

It made it all that much harder when the princess finally claimed what Keith had feared all along. Her desire to secure the bond between their species with a marriage to Keith instead of Lotor. It created havoc within the conference room. The galra were insulted for their crown prince to be denied. Keith had joined in with the yelling and told the alteans he'd marry Allura when the galra home planet would be habitable again; never.

What worried him the most was that his uncle, his uncle's wife and his mother were silent as if contemplating the offered deal. Lotor still obtained from any opinions. It irked him.

It irked him so much he waisted his evening with Lance complaining about ever detail that had occurred in the conference room that day. They were in a tent again, biscuits and tea balancing on a delicate tray propped on a stable cushion. Lance was sitting with his knees crossed, he was wearing short pants, and underneath the yellow light ever inch of his bare skin glowed.

“I heard she is really beautiful.”

“She could be a scaled, slimy dragon or the prettiest flower in the universe I'd never consider marrying her!” Keith raged.

His companion snorted at that. “Alright, I get it... but I don't know, can't they make you marry her? I mean if the emperor agrees do you even have a say in it?”

No. He wouldn't. “I.. I'll think of something.”

“Like what?” Lance asked, placing a hand behind him on the matress to lean back while nibbling on a cookie.

Keith showed him a sly smile, “like kidnapping you and get the hell out of here.”

“They're totally going to spin that around and say I kidnapped you!” Lance threw his arms in the air dramatically. “I can already see the wanted posters; 'seen this human? - enter a picture of my handsome face under terrible lighting - notify the nearest galra hub! He's hot and dangerous and he's got our prince!' I do not agree with this plan.” He finished the rest of his cookie with a frown.

Keith gave him look.

“What!?”

“Nobody is going to believe you kidnapped me, like how? It's ridiculous to think you could overpower me and even then how are you going to steal a ship, and fly it?” He looked sceptical

“Excuuuuuse me?” Lance seemed highly offended, “I can't over power your scrawny ass?”

“Scrawny?”

“I could so over power a little halfling galra! And for your information I can fly a ship, and I'll let Hunk steal one so I can fly it. You wouldn't know what hit you.”

Keith scoffed, annoyed at the little halfling galra comment, “I'd like to see you try.” He challenged.

“Oh yeah?!”

“Oh yeah,” he mocked repeated.

Then Lance was on him.

There was a lot pushing and pulling. Lance had forced him down with a shove at his shoulders, and from there he was attempting to do something but Keith wasn't sure what, despite that he didn't give him a chance to do whatever, his hand was up flat against Lance's face and pushing him away. The other slipped from his grasp and fell down on top of Keith, once down, he actually pulled on his mullet making Keith yelp. In reaction Keith kicked the other off of him, and away from his hair, with his foot against his abdomen, making sure not to use his full strength. They rolled around, knocking over the now luke warm tea, grabbed at eachother, Lance was very much a screamer but not much of a fighter. Keith figured out Lance's intention had been going for a pink thin cord rolled up in one of the cushions, to tie him down.

The cord got flown around as they now both tried to get hold of it, until it was everywhere and Keith's ankle got twisted into it. “Ah-ha I got you!” Lance cheered.

“No, you don't,” Keith objected, and had Lance face down in a quilt with his arms on his back within a tik. “Do you want me to tie you up? To proof how much you can't over power this little halfling galra?”

“Awww, can't handle being called little, little one?” He buckled back, then wiggled until Keith couldn't keep his hold on him anymore. Keith blamed it on Lance being ridiculously flexible, and had just about grabbed his ankle when the tent's curtain got pulled wide open.

“You two again?”

“Oh, hi, Varkon.” Lance greeted from where he was grabbing on quilts to pull himself away from Keith.

“Don't hi me! Or look so innocent. The customers think someone's getting killed in here!”

“Yeah,” Lance shot Keith a glare, “he is.”

“Not by a long shot.” Keith growled.

“Unless you're moaning out of pleasure keep it down! This is a classy establishment we're not like those savages next door.” And with that Varkon was gone.

The human started laughing once he did, his body relaxing, “your hair! Your hair looks ridiculous!”

“Because you kept pulling on it!” The prince let go of the human and ran both his hands over his head, quickly trying to smooth it all over.

Lance grinned at him then suddenly shot forward into a short kiss, as if he tried to punch him with his lips. “Anyone would think they're lucky to get to marry a beautiful altean princess.”

“Well, she's not the one I want... you are.” He could feel his face grow red as Lance halted midway towards a second kiss, he sat back completely bedazzled. “I mean I must have told you before?”

His human shook his head, “... no.”

“I-I'm sure I was obvious though...”

Lance smiled kindly at his distressed face, before scooting closer, reaching out his hands to comb through his black locks, his face a little sad as he confessed, “I like you too.”

They kissed until their lips were swollen. Which was a good look on Lance. Then Keith had to leave to get some sleep, he had to drag himself away from that tent and the sudden sadness that had erupted within it. He wanted nothing more than to stay until they were laughing and trying to kill each other again, but he had to have his wits for when the possible marriage debate would continue the coming day.

And it did. He had found his mother was in favor of the proposal and so was the empress. With his mother not in his corner he only had the prideful lords and generals to support him, who would sway easily if the emperor were to give Allura his blessings. The emperor had stayed silent for now. The only thing left to give Keith hope was Lotor and his smug face as he subtly sat back and enjoyed the show. He was planning something. He had been from the start, but more than a week had passed and the tide hadn't yet changed for Lotor like he had predicted that day at the arena.

Getting hold of prince Lotor to pick his mind was nearly impossible the closer they got to the end of the alteans political visit. Their usual trips to the arena were canceled and Lotor was often surrounded by galra and altean lords, in the type of conversations which seemed serious enough for Keith not to disturb. His cousin did catch his eye once in a while, and answered it with a slick smile then continued on as if he hadn't seen him.

All of this just made him nervous. There was no ending with him marrying the princess. He had been serious when he told Lance that he'd run away and take him with him if it had to come to that. Even if it didn't come to that he would take that human away from Starlight and bring him home. So far he had already arranged a common space ship of medium size for their departure and a few trusted servants had been loading it up with supplies they might need for their journey to Sun Rise. However he could not leave until the alteans had left and his presence was not needed anymore.

Keith wasn't sure if it was the unsettling way the negotiations were turning their focus on him, or the emperor's and Lotor's silence or his mother's eagerness to get him wed to the altean princess but he grew more anxious the more time passed. As if he was slowly drawn into an ambush. By the end of the day he was searching for clues of one in every look he got and in every word that was spoken, but if some actions or words were suspicious he could not make the link as to why.

It had become a habit to skip dinner with his royal family to have his food at Starlight. Today was not any different, and as the alteans left for their castle he took a transport bus to the 9th. Once arrived he would ask the girl at the desk to notify Lance of his arrival, to which she would normally smile and go to the door connected to the dressing room.

This time however she didn't, she only showed him a nervous little shake, the sight of it made every dreadful moment of the day come together and sink like a rock to the pit of his stomach. He still couldn't put his finger on it but he knew something was seriously wrong. The ambush he had feared just arrived.

“What do you mean you can't get him?”

“I'm very sorry prince Keith but he's with a customer.” She said as she stood uncomfortably behind the desk.

To that he barked, “I hired him for the entire week which includes today.”

“I know sir.” The girl said calmly, “however since you were not present and he was specifically requested by honored guests we could not refuse.”

Specifically requested. Keith slammed his fist onto the desk, “I did not give permission for that whether I was present or not.”

“My lord, please calm down.” A guard said as he slowly approached them, coming from the entrance of the Starlight's main room.

Keith stepped back, “what honored guest?”

“Privacy, my lord, I can't reveal names.” She said as the guard came to stand next to her.

“Tell me their names. Or do you want me to notify my uncle, your emperor, of how you have disrespected his nephew?” He never used his uncle's name before to get something he wanted, it felt strange but necessary.

With the girl almost in tears, the guard took it up on himself to answer, knowing he was searching for Lance as that was the only one of their employees Keith was seen with, except for Hunk. “I don't know their names but I've never seen them here before. They were two alteans, they split up and one of them took him to a tent.”

Alteans?

“Which tent?”

“You think he's in danger?”

“Yes,” he urged.

“The one with the purple flowers.”

Keith ran, he heard footsteps following him but he didn't care. Inside the main room he hurried to the tents, the pathway he took passed another one where an altean soldier walked away from the tents, a fence was between them as he recognized him from the meetings. It took all he had not to reach through the bars of the fence and grab the man, demanding what his business was, but he had to know if Lance was alright first.

He stormed inside of the tent with the painted purple flowers, not a second of hesitation.

“Lance!?”

Lance was laying on his side in the corner of the tent, his knees pulled up into fetal position, he wasn't moving.

“Lance?” He called again as he fell down to his knees and crawled next to him, the boy was hiding his face in his arms. He petted his upper arm, rubbing up and down his dark skin, “what's wrong? What did he do? Lance, please say something.”

He noticed the curled up figure was shaking, and then he slowly drew a faint breath as if he wasn't sure he was allowed. “I..” his voice was weak, and fearful, “don't freak out, okay? I think it must look worst than it is.”

His heart skipped a beat, “what does?”

Lance slowly unfolded himself and the first thing Keith noticed was the blood on his arms, smeared in to thin but wide stripes as if it the blood had rubbed off from something. It didn't take long to discover from where as Lance rolled his face up towards him, a long thin cut from his right temple over his closed right eye on to his cheek down to his chin in a straight line, still bleeding.

“O my god,” Keith wanted to scream, “why would they?” As he grabbed a bunch tissues from a cushioned tissue holder and placed it gentle against the cut.

“They said it's a message,” Lance answered, and he could tell he had been crying despite trying to look brave and together for Keith, “to stay away from... you.”

“From who?” He needed to know. What altean had anything to gain from threatening a whore? “Who was the message from, Lance?” He asked again as he noticed the human's hesitation.

“Princess Allura.”

For a moment he wasn't sure if he had heard it correctly, he repeated the name to himself then he pushed up from the tent's floor.

“No, Keith! Keith come back!” Lance was screaming but he was already gone, his sword retrieved from his side as he left the whorehouse and managed to catch up with the two altean figures in one of the drugs halls of the dark corner. He charged with a cry.

The two soldiers parted quickly as they turned around, dodging his attack, they unshielded their own swords.

“You give your princess a message from me! I'll cut up her face like you did to him if she ever threatens him again.”

“You dare to threaten the princess of Altea?” The one who spoke had a long ponytail, he had been the one with Lance in tent, the soldier was outraged. Both of them were soldiers he could tell from their uniforms, they weren't any of the Lords or generals.

“I would have never dreamed of it until she showed her true ugly face.”

The altean soldiers charged at him with enraged yells, both of their swords clashing against his own but he forced them back and slammed at the one with the ponytail, the man catched it with his sword but lost his balance for a tik so Keith twirled around to attack the other one the same way. This soldier didn't get his blade up soon enough and got caught by Keith's sword slicing into his arm. He screamed, and dropped his sword, inexperienced.

Ponytail wasn't, which made him unable to land another blow on the weak soldier since he had to meet the other his sword again. They dueled back and forward, neither one loosing their footing. The prince didn't realize they had gathered an audience, all the doors of the halls were open and drunken and drug infused people were cheering and laughing as if it wasn't dangerous to stand so close near a sword fight.

“Keith!”

It was only a whisper at the back of his mind first until the words cut in to his consciousness with a sharp edge.

“Keith! Don't do this!”

He recognized Lance's voice.

“Galra soldiers are on their way alteans!” Varkon's voice.

The fight stagnated. Both of them became aware of the troubling situation. The altean halted his movements first but still too enraged Keith kicked the man, who had lowered his weapon, as hard as he possibly could, drawing the breath out of him and making him fly back against a purple, metal wall. Something must have broken because there was a loud snap.

He yelled, then spat at the prince, “you have no honor. You're a dirty fighter.”

“Not as dirty as you,” he hissed back.

“Keith!” He was grabbed by the arm and pulled away from where he was standing, “you're going to get into such big trouble!”

“I thought you were suppose to be a prince? Are you going to let this kid bleed out here in the halls with all of this scum breathing down his neck.”

Varkon's words shook him out of his daze and he looked at Lance, his right eye still closed, his wound still bleeding, “oh, god, Lance.”

“Get him out of here I'll deal with the soldiers,” Varkon said to which Lance guided him back into the direction of Starlight. He wrapped an arm around his shoulders as if Keith was the one who was hurt.

“Are you okay, Keith? Did they harm you?” A blue eye looked at him in concern.

He threw his arm around Lance's waist, pulling him close against him, “no, but you're bleeding. You need to go to a healer. Why did you follow me here?”

“Because you were going to get yourself into trouble, which you did! You attacked Zarkon's guests! I don't think it matters that your Zarkon's nephew that's bad, bad, bad.” Through the cut and the blood, he could tell Lance wasn't exaggerating, he was genuinely concerned about how this was going to play out.

“I will deal with it. Don't worry.”

It didn't take long to get back to Starlight and into the dressing room. The dressing room was a very uncomfortable place for Keith with lots of naked beings prancing around as if clothes weren't meant to be worn. There were no doors, no private corners just a big space with rows of mirrors and chairs infront of them, make up and jewelry on worn tables, and clothes, shoes and other stuff all scattered on the floor. There were more dresses to avoid stepping on then there were on the clothing racks. It was an absurd mess.

Keith leaned against one of the vanity tables, trying not look at anyone except for Lance who was sitting in the chair infront of the vanity. A healer kneeled next to him to take care of his injury.

“Stop whimpering like a toddler!” The healer said, she wasn't the most emphatic in the healing business.

“It hurts! It really hurts,” Lance's face looked horrible with the antiseptics spread onto his wound, making half his face look a gruesome orange. It would heal nicely the healer had said, the altean's motive hadn't been to maim only to scare him. Still the eye was a concern. Lance wasn't able to open it without hisses of pain, sliding the punctured lid over his eyeball into the socket took some effort but luckily when he did the healer couldn't see any signs of permanent damage. However both his eye and the damaged lid would need time to heal.

“I know.” She sighed, not unkindly, “but making annoying sounds does not lessen the pain.”

“It does for me!” The human stubbornly pouted to make his case.

“Fine then!” The woman's face showed plain annoyance as she started to bandage him up. His eye was getting covered with cotton clouds and an adherent bandage until the wound was fully healed. Once she was done he looked incredibly weird. The bandages covered half his forehead, his eye and his right cheek. The sight of him filled Keith with guilt. None of this would have happened to him if Keith hadn't persistently sought out his company.

“No, don't.” Lance lifted an accusing finger at him once the healer had left, “stop making that dramatic 'it's all my fault' face. In this particular situation I get to be the emotional drama queen not you.”

“But if I-”

“No! Uh! Sh, sh, sh, sh, I don't want to hear it.” An annoyed frown graced half his face, the other half awkwardly covered up. The eyebrow jumped up all of a sudden, excitement reaching his features. “Hey! Want to come to my room?”

“I'm allowed to?”

“Nope.” Lance popped the word passed his lips then send him a mischievous smile. “Let's be reckless.”

Lance grabbed him by his arm and dragged him along through the clothing covered dressing room.

“Are you sure?”

Keith was staring at his back when he answered, his voice not playful anymore. “I don't want to be alone.”

They entered a strange looking room which was pretty much a broad, brightly illuminated hall. On each side there were rows of bottom and top closet doors instead of walls. At least that's what he thought they were.

“This one's mine,” Lance stopped infront of one and pointed at the broad door of a top closet, before he pushed a bottom and the metal door lifted up into the ceiling revealing a rectangular space with a mattress. Lance pulled himself up before sliding into it, then reappeared to offer him a hand. “It takes some practice getting in, there's a ladder but I never bother taking it down.”

Keith just looked stunned, “this is your room?!”

“Yes, your majesty, I'm sure your room's a mansion but this's all I got. It's not bad actually. I got a theater player, a little minibar and a communicator.”

“In there?” How does that all fit?

“Just take my hand you spoiled brat.” Keith did and pulled himself into the upper closet with Lance's help. Inside it was dimly lit, the mattress was pushed to the far back and a few small doors were build into the side walls, which he assumed were the real closets.

“Look, there's privacy, it's kind of cozy and it's mine.” Lance explained. “That's way more than you get at other houses. Most of them you don't just share a room you share medium sized beds with four people. This is luxurious for us peasants.”

“Sorry, it's just so small. I'd feel trapped.” There was enough space for both of them and the mattress did look thick and comfortable with clean linnen and multiple blankets. It smelled of cleanliness inside, of fresh bedsheets and something fragrant, a subtle smell he often catched around Lance.

“Even back home I didn't have much space. I shared a room with my brother.” Lance closed the door again with the press of a button installed into the wall, the space became darker, romantically lit with a few soft light bulbs build into the ceiling. They could sit upright and even move around on their hands and knees. “I'm used to it.”

Lance crawled on to the bed and patted the space beside him. He looked excited, like a child who got to have a sleep over with a friend. He grinned at him as Keith shuffled towards him, “want to watch a movie?”

“I guess, sure.” He said as he seated himself on the surprisingly soft beddings. Lance covered both of them with a black and white spotted blanket, then he pushed a code into a small keyboard above his head and a screen unfolded from the ceiling. After selecting something to watch, the other melted into his side, cuddling against him as the screen displayed the starting title of the film.

Somehow, despite the small space he didn't actually feel trapped. It was kind of cozy, especially when they were so close, sharing body heat, and occasional touches. Lance used his shoulder as a cushion, and Keith tipped his head to the side putting his cheek against the soft brown hairs.

It took half a movie before they fell asleep.

When Keith woke again he found himself puzzled about his whereabouts. He had never seen a ceiling looming so closely above his head but it was alright since it didn't take many tics for him to remember he was in Lance's bedroom. His arms had wound themselves protectively around the shape of the human's body and his nose touched his silky brown hair which smelled sweet like candy. If not for those large clues he might have feared he had somehow ended up in a prison. An alien prison because galra cells were much larger.

The idea of being locked up connected itself to the memory he had of the fight with the two altean soldiers. He lifted up on an elbow, releasing Lance of his embrace, who slept on his side with his back against him. He placed a hand on his shoulder and peeked around to catch sight of his bandages. It angered him still.

Princess Allura. What game was she playing?

He would find out soon enough.

Since he was trapped between the wall and Lance's body he carefully lifted up on his hands and knees to crawl over him. “I need to go,” he whispered softly. His fingertips brushing with the lightest touch against the tanned boy's jawline to which eyelashes started to flutter.

“Be careful.” Lance's voice was small and edged with sleep.

“Of course,” Keith dipped down to kiss the crown of his head, “you too. Don't go anywhere with anyone you don't know or can't trust. Just keep your head down and wait for me.”

“Always.”

He smiled then left.

Not one part of him wanted to. His instincts told him to grab Lance, get Hunk and escape with the ship he had prepared. But that would brand him a fugitive and as a fugitive he wouldn't be able to protect Lance and Hunk, who both had families, and he knew the galra well enough to know that they would use those families against them. They would threaten them in to returning, and then they would be worse off than they were now.

If only he wasn't in the spotlight then nobody would have cared if he took off with the two humans. But thanks to Allura and the fight he got himself in he knew everyone's eyes were on him. He couldn't possibly leave now, at least not without an ally who had enough influence to smooth things over in his absence. His mother came to mind, but if the alteans were terribly upset with his actions then his mother might not have the political power to defend him.

With many options rushing through his mind, Keith hurried back to the main ship and towards the conference chamber. It was too late to return to his room for fresh clothes or an armor. There was a faint smell of sweat and musk around him, he had only washed his face in the Starlight's dressing room, but hardly anyone would stand close enough to be able to get a whiff of it. He also didn't care if they did.

Two halls from the chamber he noticed footsteps behind him, two of Lotor's guards but no Lotor, he turned into the other hall and slowed down his pace, realizing he wasn't going to make it to negotiations. At the end of the hall Lotor stood waiting, along with his other two guards, Zarkon and atleast five prominent soldiers, the empress and his mother. It was his mother's face which said it all.

They were waiting for him.

Each of his arms were grabbed from behind by Lotor's tall guards and he was forcefully ushered into a room in the middle of the hall. He didn't object, out of the corner of his eye he saw his uncle and entourage heading towards the room as well before he got pushed into it. The guards only let him go when he was in the far end of the empty, cold room.

Zarkon entered and his face was too calm, Keith could feel the storm underneath the surface.

He swallowed at the sight of his uncle. His heart beating with anticipation when those yellow eyes landed on him. He straightened his back, cowering would only enrage Zarkon more. Behind his uncle, his uncle's wife, his mother, the soldiers and two of the emperor's advisors spilled into the chamber as well. The last one to enter closed the metallic door behind him with a slip of the finger against the door's panel.

Now he did feel trapped. The room wasn't too large and all of them together made him cringe.

“What's going on?”

“The alteans are very upset, dear cousin.” Lotor had his fingers intertwined infront of him, there was a hint of a smile but nothing to prominent.

“What have you done?” His mother's eyebrows were knitted in concern. Her voice heavy with worry and disappointment.

“I did nothing!”

“Nothing!?” Zarkon's voice thundered through the room stiffening all attendances.

Keith stood rigid. “If this is about the fight with the altean soldiers I stood in my right, uncle. They baited me into it. They-”

“They damaged galra property it's true.” A lanky advisor came to his aid.

He didn't appreciate it, hands balled into fists. Property?

Zarkon's jaw tightened. “The whore.” It wasn't a question he was simply stating the fact. “The fight was improper. A galra prince fighting for a whore? It's disgraceful... yet can be justified by your impulsive character. It is known you are quick to anger.”

Keith tilted his head. “Then what-?”

“You threatened the princess infront of many witnesses.” The lanky advisor, a purple twig next to Zarkon, looked at him apologetic as if afraid to point him at his fault.

“You said you'd cut up her face.” Lotor chimed in with detail. “You also insulted her. Called her.. ugly?”

Keith bowed his head towards his uncle. “My words were taken out of context! I meant to warn her not to hurt.. him again.”

He heard his mother make a painful sigh as if she was just handed a painful blow.

“Again with the whore!?” His uncle's voice was deep and out of patience.

“She sent those soldiers to hurt him!”

His mother looked at him in warning. “Stop it Keith!”

“I've heard enough. Your son, Krolia, has gone too far. To insinuate the altean princess would lower herself to attack a mere whore does not only ridicule him but the entire royal family. To threaten her during negotiations, forcing me to apologize for his behavior.. is unforgivable.”

The emperess observed him with ice cold eyes as her husband spoke to him.

“Please, he is still your nephew, brother.” Krolia bravely went to stand infront of her son.

For a moment brother and sister stood face to face measuring each other with narrowed eyes. Krolia was a slighter version of her older brother, though she mirrored his powerful presence she was no match for him, not in strength or rank. There was only so much she could do for her son when it came to direct confrontation.

Zarkon's lips were a tight line before he made himself heard again. “If he was not my nephew I would have thrown him into the arena to face the druid's worst monsters. As he is my blood he will stay within the confines of his quarters. He is to stay there until I further decide on what to do with him.” His yellow eyes pierced into Keith's purple ones. “You are forbidden to see that whore again. Will princess Allura be fool enough to still demand your hand in marriage you will wed her and you will not dare to even utter a word against it.”

The force of his eyes became too heavy, and he looked away. Rage flood through him in waves as he tried to calmly ride them out. When would he see Lance again? Will he ever? And more importantly would Lance be alright? As his uncle left, his gaze turned to Lotor and noticed his mirth had been replaced by a sour expression.

He still wanted Allura for himself.

Their eyes met, and there was a promise there. Was his cousin the ally he had been searching for? Yet since childhood he had learned Lotor to be capricious. Could he trust him?

“You stupid, stupid child.” His mother was not one to cry but she could have the most somber expression when it came to Keith. 'You're the only person in my life who matters and I fear for you' that look said. “Why couldn't you have just-”

“Kept calm?” He tried to smile for her despite feeling like had just been broken. “I don't think that's in my dna.”

She touched his face gently and shook her head. “Don't worry too much, I will do my best to keep my brother from being rash.” It didn't matter that he was an adult, his mother was stll prepared to fight his battles for him.

“I'm not-”

“I'll make sure he won't be hurt.” She read his mind. At least he could feel some relief at those words.

One his mother left Lotor's guard led him away towards his chambers. Their hold only were light touches at eather side of his arms.

“Sorry for the man handling.” Ezor snickered. “Had to put up a show for the big boss. You understand.”

“Why? You're already Lotor's guards. What else do you want to accomplish?” He frowned at her. It wasn't like he had anything against his cousin's personal guards but he didn't exactly like them either.

“The prince's guards is pretty good. The Emperor's guards... now that would be the maximum accomplishment to achieve.”

“Being promoted to general wouldn't be bad either.” Zethrid added.

Keith just shook his head. Untrustworthy, like the prince they guarded.

They laughed at his expense then waved him goodbye before they took his sword and locked the door of his chambers with a new code.

The next few days passed like an old starship with no hyperdrive speed abilities. His mother had reassured him that Lance was recovering well. It was the only reason why he hadn't escaped yet. The emperor had lost the edge of his rage as Alfor had moved passed the intricate situation. Keith still wasn't wanted in the conference room, mainly because Allura had her mind set on marrying him even without his consent. She was a stubborn princess, and spoiled royalty went through many lengths to get what they want, she only wanted him because she didn't want Lotor, he could almost understand, but to attack an innocent was a rotten move.

All of the information he obtained was from his mother's hurried visits. Nobody else had knocked on his door until the fourth day, the day before negotiations were to be ended and the alteans were to go back to their home planet. Chances are they would be taking Keith with them.

Two of Lotor's guards stood infront of his door. “Come your highness, we're taking you for a walk today.”

“A walk to my execution?” Apparently Lance's flair for the dramatics had rubbed off on him.

“A walk to your exotic human.” Acxa smiled, just slightly.

“What?” He was next to her within in a tik. “What do you mean?”

“You'll see.”

If they were taking him to Lance, Keith would expect they would guide him to Starlight, but they didn't leave the royal halls and after a short distance they paused before Lotor's chambers. Confused he stepped inside to see his cousin grinning at him.

“Look who I found sleuthing around.” He pointed with his head sidewards to the large bed behind him in the far end of the enormous chamber. All behold Lance was sitting on top of it with his legs crossed looking like he was regal and made to fit within the luxury room.

“I wasn't... sleuthing.”

“Somehow your human ended up at my parents quarters. Who luckily were too busy to be present and had sent me to collect a document of value from their room.”

“I had a map.. it wasn't correct.” The tanned man said as if he had done nothing out of the ordinary.

“What were you thinking?” His voice slipped then exploded. “Are you out of your mind?!”

“No. Worried out of my mind!” Lance yelled back. “I thought they had chopped your head off but instead you got... grounded. Royalties are kind of boring aren't they? In the books I've been reading they're far more intriguing.”

“I somehow doubt those books you've been reading contain accurate information about court life.” Lotor observed Lance with far too much amusement.

He looked from one to the other, coming to the conclusion that he didn't like Lance in Lotor's room, and on his bed. “I got my head, and it's still attached to my neck. Now you need to go back.” He snapped, annoyed.

Lance, dressed in his everyday jeans and sweater, crossed his arms. “Wow. That's nice. I risk my life to find out if you still have yours and then you just turn me away? No, how have you been doing, Lance? How's the eye, Lance?Have you gone blind afterall? No, I haven't but thank you for asking.”

“My uncle has forbidden me to see you.” He walked up to Lance, it finally dawned on him that his bandages were off. The wound was red, not yet fully healed and appeared painful but his eye was open, also red and watery but open and working. It was a relief. “I fear for more than your eye.”

“Don't be so dramatic, my dear cousin.” Lotor sat down next to Lance. “I'm sure father wouldn't harm him, much.”

Keith narrowed his eyes at the crown prince. “Why is he here? Why didn't you report his intrusion, or at least send him back to Starlight?”

Lance stirred uncomfortable next to Lotor. His cousin's presence was often found overbearing, especially to one not accustomed to deal with him.

“Why...?” His lips stretched into a sneer. “Because it was the perfect opportunity to get to know the human who has gotten you into all this trouble.”

“You're planning something. Stop beating around the bush.”

Lotor sighed sadly. “What's the fun in having a cousin if I can't toy with him a bit? Fine. You want this human, I want the princess. Yet the princess is offered to you on a golden plate, and I'm sure I'd find the human to be a nice consolation prize. However he's not who I want.”

Keith fought the urge to grin. “How are you going to fix that?”

“As I see it I have two options. My favorite is to have you, with Lance if you so desire, which I know you do, on that ship you've been preparing to set course to the farthest hub before the alteans leave. Once you've disappeared Allura won't have a choice but to agree to a marriage arrangement with me, and even when you show up at the hub king Alfor won't allow her to wed you anymore since you've proven yourself untrustworthy one to many times by disappearing. He's already displeased with you.”

“What will happen once we arrive at the hub?”

“By that time I'll have convinced father that the turn of events are in his favor. I'll make sure he won't arrest you, though I wouldn't pay him a visit in the next year or so.”

“What of my mother?”

He waved his hand dismissively. “My dear aunt can take care of herself. Once she realizes you won't have a chance to be an active part at the court anymore she'll likely stop pushing to earn you a political career. I bet she'll finally leave the main fleet for a more exciting life.”

Keith nodded curtly. Krolia would be disappointed.

The last few years her goal had been to obtain a position of political value for her son, mainly because she hadn't wanted him to be on the front lines to fight amongst the other galra soldiers anymore. With a strong political position he could've been like Lotor with his presence on the battlefield only needed when the battle would be important enough. He could have made himself indispensable, and strengthen his claim to the crown, should anything ever prevent Lotor from claiming it. Personally he'd never minded being on the battlefield, it gave him a certain rush, and the concept of becoming the emperor had never appealed to him, yet his mother's wishes had been important to him especially since he had no particular goals of his own. Until now.

“What's the other option?” Lance leaned back, his palms pressed into the scarlet bed sheets. He looked sideways at the crown prince, suspicion in those blue eyes.

“All I need is for Keith to disappear before the alteans leave. It could be safely with you, or in a body bag.” Lotor answered pleasantly.

The human's eyes widened and he straightened his back, unsure of how to react.

“I thank you for chosing the less grimm option.” Keith didn't want to wait for Lance to gather a response, by the tik his expression slipped more into anger. He grabbed brunette by his right wrist and pulled him up from the bed. “When can we leave?”

“Everything is in place. My guards have arranged all things necessary and will escort you to the ship once you have gathered your belongings. Make sure not to forget anything, I doubt either of you will be back on this fleet any time soon.”

Keith and Lance exchanged a look. “There's another human working at Starlight. He needs to come with us.”

“Are your starting harem of humans?”

“He's Lance's friend.”

“Fine. It'll cost me double. Starlight workers aren't cheap, but I'm sure one day you'll repay me.”

It didn't sit well with Keith that the humans were being bought yet there wasn't time to dwindle on it, not if he wanted a chance with Lance instead of becoming a spouse to an altean princess. “You get the princess in return. Consider my debt paid.”

He knew his cousin too well to be indebted to him. It was a win-win situation afterall.

“Fine.” His voice was strained, annoyed. “Keith go first. My guard will escort Lance here back to Starlight. She'll also make the arrangements for his friend.”

“Lance goes first.”

The crown prince raised an eyebrow, “fine... Acxa please escort Lance back to Starlight and get him and the other human to the ship as quickly as possible.”

Lance didn't leave without gathering Keith into a hug, their foreheads touched when he pulled back. “I'm glad you're alright.”

“I told you not to worry about me.” He reached up to carefully touch his cheek next to the newly forming scar.

“You also said you'd be back.”

“I didn't say when though- Ow!” He rubbed at his abdomen where Lance had poked him viciously.

The brunette frowned. “You jerk.” That's when Acxa guided him away.

“There's no time to waste. Come human.” Then they left.

“Cute.” Lotor made the word sound ridiculous. “I hope you'll be very happy together.”

“And you with princess Allura.”

The prince's lips stretched into an eerie grin, “oh, I'll make sure of it.”

Guilt bloomed in his chest as he left Lotor in his chambers. No wonder Allura was desperate to marry anyone but him. But the way Keith saw it they were both as bad as each other.

It didn't take long before he had gathered his belongings. There wasn't much that he'd valued enough to carry with him. He did hope Lotor thought about retrieving his sword. Once he had thrown a small, brown bag over his shoulder Lotor's guard came to retrieve him. Zethrid flew him in a private cruiser towards the seventh ship of their fleet, a mondane ship home to the lower middle class.

The halls smelled like sweat and metal, floors were slippery and begrimed. Keith had never been on this ship before needing a low-key departure. Now he understood why the higher ups wont grace it with their presence.

Fortunately for him the transport halls on the seventh were hardly supervised, ships came and went, workers often left to visit their families on other ships, or they went to gather supplies on some close by planet, and groups of young galra arrived everyday in search for a job on the main fleet.

Keith and Zethrid were the first to arrive, there were no signs of Lance and Hunk yet. He tried not to let it worry him as he made his way to the ship they would leave in. “My sword-”

“It's inside the ship.” The guard answered curtly.

There wasn't any small talk going on between them, since neither him or Zethrid seem to be good at it. Both of them just stood awkwardly waiting.

Keith observed the travelers to occupy himself. One large ship had just arrived and a flood of galra and some foreign aliens had poured out of it's belly. The scent of sweat, and the occasional sharp perfume, mingled with the fumes of the old ships and cruisers, the number of odors were dizzying after being exposed to them for a while. The echos of the many overlapping conversations, screaming children and the wheels of old fashioned luggage made his head spin even more. He had a headache by the time he saw the familiar faces appear, they sure had taken their time and he could tell why by the size of all the luggage.

Walking out from a small crowd he could hear their conversation. “Are you sure we didn't forget anything?” Lance's eyebrows were pushed towards each other as if he was thinking hard about whatever he might have left behind.

Hunk had his hand out, counting on his fingers. “I'm pretty sure we got the most important stuff. I mean, food, clothes, utilities, snacks, the crazy amount of your skin care products.”

“It's for layering! It's not crazy!”

Acxa's fore head was wringled in silent irritation, her form buried under half of the humans their baggage.

“It just feels like I'm forgetting something.” Lance whined, dragging one of those wheeled suitcases behind him, another large bag was strapped around his shoulders, his torso tilting forward as if the weight on his back was heavy.

Hunk carried similar luggage with the addition of a couple of carton bags in each hand. “You always say that when we go somewhere, and you've never forgotten anything!”

“Are you serious!?” Keith growled, headache full on, he was sure he waited for more than an hour. “What part of quickly getting out of here don't you get!?”

“Huh!?” Lance had the audacity to look shocked, “I didn't even fold my clothes I just pushed everything in my bags! How's that not quickly? Everything is going to be wrinkled.”

“I'm sorry man,” at least Hunk looked contrite, “but I couldn't just go without my favorite foods... I mean.. I'll probably never eat them again.”

His brown haired friend looked smugly at him, “want to stay?”

“Nope! Let's get in this thing.” Hunk strode forward fast, followed by Acxa and the many bags she carried.

Keith pinched the bridge of his nose, “where did you even keep all of this stuff?” Considering how small Lance his room was.

“Uh, in my closets? And most of my clothes were in the dressing room.” He moved closer to Keith and wiggled his eyebrows, “I took some interesting outfits with me.. and handcuffs.. and stuff.”

Keith blushed, though wondered what they would need handcuffs for.

“Can't wait to see you try them on!” Lance shot cheerily at him before sort of half running, which was as fast as he could go with all the extra weight, to where Hunk was entering the ship.

“Me!?” His face felt red, “what!?”

They finally left, and Keith wondered how nobody had noticed his absence and stopped them from leaving with how long it took before they actually departed. He had found his sword inside and thanked his cousin through his guard. Now he was flying while the two humans made themselves comfortable behind him in the parlor of their ship. It wasn't big, but it had a washing room and two small bedrooms, so at least they had privacy. All three of them could fly which meant he and Lance would be getting alone time, although Hunk wasn't a very confident pilot.

“You know I still don't get it.” He heard Hunk's voice behind him.

“That's right. You should tell Keith.” Lance came to sit next to him in the copilot seat.

He glanced over at him, curious, “tell me what?”

“Well, you know how those alteans said princess Allura made them deliver their.. violent message to Lance?” Hunk started.

“Yeah.”

“That just doesn't make sense to me! See I kind of know her, well not know-know her but I've met her quite a few times.”

Lance looked at Keith from his seat. “Apparently alteans dislike galra cuisine so Hunk, being the star chef that he is, and some other cooks prepared their lunch instead of the main fleet chefs.”

The alteans had never shared a meal with them during their stay, at least not when Keith had been present, so it made sense they got served by different chefs.

“Yeah, so I talked to hear a couple times, and yeah I could tell she was a bit scary sometimes but she wasn't.. maleficent. She's actually kind, you know how you meet people and they just ooze kindness? Well that's her. I don't believe she could do what she did to Lance.”

Keith hadn't really seen a side of kindness to her, in his eyes she was cold and calculating but then so was everyone else during negotiations. To not show emotions was the proper way to get things done, especially during political events. But if Hunk was right that leaves another question, “if it wasn't her than who was it?”

A momentarily silence before Hunk spoke up again. “Who has gotten exactly what they wanted?”

“Lotor.” Lance was still looking at him. “Sorry, Prince Lotor.”

He looked back at him. “No.. how could he have possibly known things would turn out this way? He was pissed when Zarkon ordered me to accept Allura after I fought with those alteans.”

“Yeah but he had probably thought the opposite would happen, right? When it didn't, he got down to damage control.” Lance theorized.

“No.” He looked away from Lance, “it's not that I don't know what my cousin is capable off. It does sound like something he could do, but somehow it doesn't make sense in this particular situation.”

“Okay.” Lance caresses his hand over Keith's upper arm and smiled at him. “It's over, it doesn't matter anymore, anyway.”

“But it kinda does,” Hunk interrupted, “I mean that's the guy we're counting on to smooth talk this escape over with the emperor. It's on him if we get captured and escorted back to the main fleet or not. We're kind of depending on him.”

“Why do we have to go to that hub anyway?” Lance questioned.

Keith inhaled slowly, trying to process everything that was said, then exhaled. “To show we're not fugitives. To apologize, accept my uncle's punishment, which will be temporary banishment from the main fleet. That way we won't have to look behind our backs all the time because we're free to go wherever.”

“That sounds kinda important.” Hunk pointed out to which Lance laughed, albeit a tad nervously.

“We'll have no choice but to bet on him then.”

Keith nodded, but spared Lance a smile. “Don't worry. I don't think it was him.”

“You have someone else in mind.” The brunette caught on.

It had just sprung on him. It was mostly a feeling but it made sense. “I do, I'll tell you once I know for sure.”

The empress did not share her husband's desire to marry their son to the altean princess, she had suitors of her own lined up for Lotor to choose from. She may not have control over many issues, but on the matters where she did she refused to lose her power. Which is why Keith had to marry the princess. And Honnerva knows her husband thoroughly, she unlike Lotor would have known Zarkon would demand for Keith to marry the princess after he was baited into the fight with the altean soldiers. She also knew Allura was desperate enough to still want to marry him.

The guilt he had felt earlier returned. If all of that was true, if he was right... he could have saved the princess from Lotor and a mother in law who hated her.

“Hunk can you fly for a bit?” Fingers pressed into his arm above his elbow, as if Lance could read his thoughts and tried to comfort him.

“Yeah, sure.”

“Come on Keith you look like you need a rest.” Lance pulled him up. “We can test out the bedroom.”

Hunk looked appalled. “Uhh.. what do you mean with test?”

“Sleep, of course.” Lance wore the mask of innocence. “My, my, Hunk. You really need to get your mind out of the gutter.”

Hunk's dark skin sported a heavy blush. “Only because you always say things with double meanings and stuff!”

“He's got a point.” Keith snickered as Lance guided him to one of the bedrooms. In their room he pulled him down with him when he let himself fall onto their new bed, it creeked as it bounced underneath them.

Lance laughed. “We won't be able to move a muscle on this thing without Hunk thinking we're doing the dirty!”

It was a very old mattress. “Well, he'll have to get used to it.”

The human turned on his side to look at him. “Sounds like you've got plans... finally.”

“I'm sure I don't know what you mean.”

Lance groaned.

“Are you excited to go home?”

His expression changed at the mention of his home. He looked wistful as he nodded. “I do, yet..”

“What is it?” He reached out a hand, his fingers tracing through soft brown locks.

“I'm not sure if it's still home. I'm not.. the same person anymore, they won't look at me the same anymore..”

Keith lifted his eyebrows sympathetically. “From what you and Hunk have told me about them I'm sure they're going to be ecstatic once they see you.”

“Yes, but it won't be like before.” Lance added sadly.

His fingers glid over his cheek down to his jaw before landing on the soft skin of his neck. “Nothing ever stays the same.”

Lance nodded. “That's why I want you to take me with you after I've seen them. Take me around the universe because I want to see everything.”

The prince looked astonished for a moment. “You don't want to stay with them?”

“And do what? After having lived with the galra Sun Rise seems so dull.. I'd feel.. trapped. I can't stay with them. I want to explore! And have crazy, dangerous adventures, with you.” He picked up Keith's wandering hand from his neck and laced their fingers together. “Do... Do you want that too?” He asked as if unsure.

Keith had wondered if he would be allowed to stay aboard the human ship, or if he would have to leave Lance behind to pick up his life as a now banished vagabond unable to board any important galra ships. Another part of him had not wanted to think about it and had decided to just enjoy the moments they could have together but Lance's proposal came as a warm blanket to his worrying mind.

He broke out in a smile and squeezed his hand. “Yes! Of course I want that too.”

His human giggled. “You sound like you thought I'd leave you behind. Keith.. I would never, okay?” He shimmied closer and pressed his lips against his mouth.

It had been too long since he had felt those soft, silky lips against his own, and he pressed the other's body closer to his with his palm against his lower back. They engulfed themselves into the kiss, chaste yet lusting for more, knowing more would come, they had waited for it long enough. Lance was free now if he wanted Keith, Keith would give himself willingly knowing there was no pressure on the other to perform and fake affection. He wasn't Lance his customer anymore, but his lover.

He broke free, Lance nestled in his arms, his hot breath ghosting inbetween them. “In it together then?”

“Partners in crime.” The brunette had shimmering stars in his eyes. “Lance and Keith!”

“Keith and Lance.”

“Lance and Keith sounds better.”

“No, it doesn't.”

Despite their kiss swollen lips they glowered at each other before they both yelled for a second opinion.

“HUNK!!”

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little explanation. This is written from Keith's perspective and eventhough he feels like Lance is similar to a slave, that's not how Lance sees it. It's a little dubious, but he gets paid and is even free to leave, even though they won't aid him in leaving. If anyone has actually read this far (that's awesome xD), let me know if you'd be interested to read more from this universe. I might write some short fics from Lance's pov and explain how he started working for the galra, and how he feels about it.


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